Sonos One Review

Whether you’re looking for a device to listen to music while you’re hanging around the house or are looking for an amazing new sound system that hooks up to all your devices, it’s worth checking out the Sonos One.

It is easy to set up, is compatible with nearly all music streaming services, and it produces great sound. That said, not everyone speaks of a good experience with this music device.

Some users found that it left a residue on their wood furniture, some thought it was far too expensive, or discovered there were some glitches and issues with its components.

Nonetheless, before you make your final decision, let’s take a more in-depth look at the Sonos One.

Sonos One: The Details

Specs

• Product Dimensions: 4.8 x 4.8 x 6.4 inches.
• Product Weight: 4.08 lbs.
• Product Type: Smart speaker.
• Compatible with Amazon Alexa: Yes.

How Does It Work?

Whether or not you’ve previously owned a smart speaker, the Sonos One is fairly simple to set up and use.

It’s not only sleek in appearance but leverages its ‘smart device’ style in the convenience department a well.

To begin, you should place the speaker where you want it and then attach the power cord, giving the speaker a minute to boot up.

The LED light on the speaker will flash green when it’s ready. Next, you can download the app on your device (along with the Alexa app, if you are going to be using that as well).

Open the Sonos app and follow the prompts to establish your new system. This will include syncing the speaker with your existing devices and connecting it to your Wi-Fi. Then you can add Alexa to the system, along with your Amazon account, so they’re all synced to the Sonos One.

Finally, you can add all of your music services to the Sonos. Sonos is compatible with Spotify, Pandora, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, SiriusXM, Amazon Music, and many more streaming services.

Sonos: The Brand

Sonos Inc. was founded in 2002 by John MacFarlane, Tom Cullen, Trung Mai, and Craig Shelburne, and is headquartered in Santa Barbara, California.

Prior to the creation of Sonos, the founders had experience building internet-based businesses, and they utilized that knowledge in order to bring music to every home. They now provide different audio products to customers in the U.S. and internationally.

A few additional products they offer include wireless speakers, home theater speakers, and other audio components.

Sonos One Review

The Positives

Easy to Use

Whether you are a tech-novice or a full-on techy, you will have no issues using the Sonos One.

The top of the device brandishes a touch-sensitive surface that allows you to go backward or forward through your playlist, depending on whether you swipe right or left.

Tapping the center will pause the music, and tapping the left and right halves of the panel will control the volume.

If you want to speak with Alexa, you need only say her name. An LED light on the top of the speaker will allow you to determine if she’s listening.

That being said, you’ll likely spend most of your time controlling the speaker through the Sonos app on your phone.

This app will allow you to adjust the volume, your playlist, and turn the music off or on. It doesn’t get much easier than that!

Easy to Set Up

With only 30 minutes needed to make the device operational, it’s simple to manage – even for those who are inexperienced.

The command prompts within the app guide you through the process seamlessly, requiring only the technical know-how to download the app and identify your other devices or Wi-Fi.

If you have difficulties here, the instruction manual and app provide advice on these tasks as well.

Once the speaker is set up, there will be no further tinkering needed, unless you connect more speakers – which the app will guide you through as well.

During the process, it’s recommended to go through the “Trueplay Tuning” process that will make sure the audio sounds as best as it possibly can.

This isn’t mandatory but does enhance your overall experience in the long-run.

Compatibility

Users appreciated the vast number of applications or music streaming services that can be used with the Sonos One.

Alexa, Apple Airplay 2, and Google Assistant are now compatible with the Sonos One and you can stream music from Spotify, Amazon Music and Amazon Music Unlimited, Apple Music, TuneIn, iHeartRadio, Pandora, and SiriusXM.

There’s no need to purchase a new service just for this device – it syncs with all the big names. You won’t have to compromise when it comes to the Sonos One.

Great Sound

Without a doubt, the feature that users praised the most was the great sound quality.

No matter if you’re listening to classical, pop, or metal, it will come through the speakers in a clear and immersive level that rivals even headphones.

Many testers noted this was true even when only one speaker is in use. If you have more than one and sync them together, it will sound even better (like you’re at a concert or a movie theater).

This makes this product perfect for techy music lovers who don’t want to compromise on sound for smart technology. Sonos shows you can have both in one package.

Smart Integration

Sonos has added smart technology into their speaker to make things a whole lot easier. With Amazon Alexa built right into the device, you won’t even have to lift a finger to have your favorite songs on blast.

You can use Alexa to request whatever you want, and the Sonos will tap into its streaming services like Spotify while you relax.

Voice commands make it easy to change the volume if you’re tied up with cooking, or just can’t be bothered to excuse yourself from whatever activity you’re tending to. This is also great for cozying up in bed to soothing sounds.

When you’re all done with the music for the day, just ask for the speaker to be turned off.

Compact Design

The Sonos One is a great compromise for those who want booming, true sound, without investing in a full home theatre, or stereo setup.

You won’t have to worry about this speaker taking up too much space. It’s compact enough to set on a shelf, table, or counter without being the centre of attention.

It will fit seamlessly into a variety of designs and decor without being an eyesore thanks to its minimalistic, contemporary design. It comes in black or white, which only adds to its modern look.

Weighing in at under five pounds, you’ll find that this speaker is easy to move around, or even take with you should you be lacking sounds elsewhere.

The Negatives

Residue

Some users had issues with the Sonos One leaving white marks on certain pieces of wood furniture. It’s an overall disappointing con in an otherwise high-quality device.

This problem can be fixed easily by placing a coaster or napkin underneath the speaker. However, it’s wise to know this beforehand to avoid damage to your furniture.

Expensive

Other users believed the Sonos One to be far more expensive than necessary, especially when compared to other speakers on the market.

The Sonos One is currently priced at around $200 on Amazon, and when compared with the Amazon Echo (the Sonos One can do similar things to the Echo), the Sonos One is over two times the price.

The sound on the Sonos One is much better than the Echo, but nonetheless, the large price difference can’t be entirely justified.

Glitches

Unfortunately, there were testers who mentioned experiencing glitches with their Sonos One.

These glitches included the music refusing to turn on (for no apparent reason), the device skipping songs by itself, or the speakers refusing to work altogether.

Some of these glitches resolved themselves with time, while others persisted. Since you are paying about a couple hundred dollars for this speaker, these glitches should not exist.

Hopefully, these problems can be dealt with as Sonos comes up with more updates and better products. While this didn’t happen to everyone, it’s definitely worth noting.

Customer Service

While Sonos does offer a one-year warranty with this smart speaker,  some customers have noted that Sonos’ customer service department can be lacking.

Some users have pointed out that their customer service isn’t very responsive. When they are, they seem to fail in helping to resolve the issue.

While a warranty does show that a company stands by their product should it fail, their customer service department is disappointing and could very well deter return and future customers.

Fortunately, if you purchase from a third party retailer, they usually have their own return policies in place which you should confirm before purchasing.

Here’s a video showing what the Sonos One Speaker looks like out of the box.

Overall Verdict

After going through all the positive and negative reviews of this smart speaker, we are recommending it.

The Sonos One can be controlled from anywhere you have your phone and a Wi-Fi connection, and it ensures the music you’re listening to sounds amazing. That is nothing to sneeze at.

With that said, there are still people who’ve experienced issues with the speaker malfunctioning. This is an expensive product and it should work pretty flawlessly.

While that doesn’t seem to be the case at the moment, hopefully, future models of this speaker will resolve these issues.

As of now, if you are willing to deal with the possibility of a few glitches, the Sonos One isn’t going to let you down in the sound department.

Where to Buy the Sonos One

The Sonos brand is known for putting forward quality speakers. They take audio quality seriously which shows across all their products including the Sonos One.

Their products have been raved about by tech enthusiasts and their brand has been growing in popularity over the years. With the integration of smart technology, they’re able to stay afloat with the competition.

Thanks to this brand’s popularity, retailers around the world offer products like the Sonos One Smart Speaker both in-store and online.

While it’s usually best to check technology, audio, or home department stores, you can kick-start your search with the following online retailers.

• Best Buy (from $199)
• Moog Audio (from $188)
• Sonos (from $249)

And of course, you can also find the Sonos One on Amazon.

That’s the end of our Sonos One review. Curious to give this smart speaker a try?